RALEIGH, NC - The Blues scored three times in the first period to take control and were never thwarted in a 5-2 win over the Hurricanes in Raleigh.

David Perron, Yan Sastny and Jay McClement all scored in the opening frame to stake the Blues to a 3-0 lead. 

Joe Corvo got one back for Carolina late in the first period on the power play, but Andy McDonald lit the lamp midway through the second frame to restore the Blues' three-goal lead.  Scott Walker scored a power-play goal at 8:12 of the third for the 'Canes, but Perron sealed the deal for St. Louis with his second goal of the night into an empty net in the final minute.

Chris Mason made 34 saves in the win as the Blues improved to 5-4-and-1.  With 11 points, St. Louis is third in the Central Division standings behind Columbus and Chicago.

Hat trick for Sid the Kid.

UNDATED - The Pittsburgh Penguins improved to 10-and-2 by routing Montreal 6-1.  That ends the Canadiens' four-game winning streak.

Sidney Crosby notched his third career hat trick.  Crosby is tied for fourth in the NHL with nine goals.  Chris Kunitz also scored and assisted on all three of Crosby's goals.  Mike Rupp and Alex Goligoski added goals, and Bill Guerin had three assists.

Tomas Plekanec scored for the Canadiens.

In the rest of the NHL:

• Wojtek Wolski broke a tie at 5:31 of the third period and the Colorado Avalanche reached 10 victories with a 3-2 win over Calgary.


• New York Islanders captain Doug Weight, in his first game back following a bout with swine flu, earned an assist on Kyle Okposo's tiebreaking, power-play goal in the second period that lifted th eIsles to a 3-1 victory over the New York Rangers.


• Martin Hanzal, Zbynek Michalek and Robert Lang scored power-play goals in the Phoenix Coyotes' 4-1 victory over Columbus.


• Clarke MacArthur and rookie Tim Kennedy scored early in the first period and the Buffalo Sabres remained unbeaten on the road with a 4-1 victory over New Jersey.  The Sabres are 4-and-0 on the road.


• Nick Foligno and Jarkko Ruutu scored second-period goals to help the Ottawa Senators nip Florida 4-3.


• Nashville nipped Minnesota 4-3.  Jerred Smithson scored a short-handed goal midway through the third period.


• James Neal scored with 2:03 left in overtime to give the Dallas Stars a 4-3 victory over Toronto.


• San Jose nipped the L.A. Kings 2-1 in a shootout.  Ryane Clowe scored in the sixth round of a shootout for the winner.